New Balance Designed the FuelCell 5280 to Conquer the Road Mile

The road mile is a unique event in the running world.

Running 5,280 feet requires an even blend of strategy and speed. Start out too fast, and you’ll be toast when everyone else kicks at the finish. Too slow, and you’ll never catch up.

New Balance athlete Jenny Simpson has showcased this strategy throughout her career at the road mile distance. She has the tools to best almost any competition when it comes to a road mile—whether she takes a race from the starting gun, grinds from 400 out or wins in a sprint.

In 2017, New Balance’s innovation team sought to harness Jenny’s road mile prowess to engineer a pair of New Balance Tênis Running 570 Bungee specifically built to excel at the road mile distance.

Run, Tweak, Repeat

New Balance 237V1 teoria Trainers.

Runners logged a series of test runs on treadmills surrounded by high-speed cameras with 3D imaging to capture every step. Designers obsessed over the resulting footstrike, loading and propulsion data to fine-tune every aspect of the shoe.

The team dialed in the fit over the next nine months—creating a custom last for each tester—and shipped more samples as each tweak brought a new iteration.

Athletes tested the lab at indoor and outdoor track events through the year and provided feedback each time. Designers then used that feedback to craft the shoe that would be turned into the production model.

The final New Balance FuelCell 5280 makes the most of speed, power and weight, like a finely tuned race car.

On top, New Balance used a Hypoknit upper—similar to the knit upper on the New Balance 890v7—to provide a dynamic, supportive fit without adding unnecessary ounces. The sock-like upper conforms the the unique curves of a runner’s foot to deliver a custom feel.

Underneath, the 5280 packs a layer of New Balance's new FuelCell foam formulation. The Boston-based company says this formulation has the highest energy return of any New Balance performance foam on the market today.

new balance 890 v7 womens running lab moondust ginger pink plum carbon-fiber plate that loads with energy when you land and snaps back when you take off to deliver a propulsive ride. The stiff plate and TPU outsole make the shoe feel like a track spike, but grippy rubber and light cushioning makes it ideal for running on pavement.

new balance x victim x mita sneakers new era new balance 574 sport black wool, and it gives you exactly what you need to run your best—and nothing more.

After two years of development and two wins at one of the biggest events of the year, it’s proving to be worth the investment for any runner looking for a race-day weapon.